Genocide commemoration events to be held in Armenia, U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net - Less than a week remains until this year’s Silence the Lies, Rock the Truth! performance, which commemorates the 99th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This is the concert’s 6th year bringing artists, the community and human rights organizations together in solidarity to honor the past and make a statement to the world about the strength of the Armenian spirit, Asbarez reports.

“We’ve been preparing for this special show and have a great lineup,” stated Viza oud player Andrew Kzirian.

“It’s been inspiring reaching out to our youth this year in an unprecedented way to encourage participation in what is a great cause. With all the recent headlines and trouble in Kessab and Syria overall, Armenians — and honestly people all over the world — are very concerned with what’s going on. And with this being the 99th year of denial really highlights how important recognition of the Armenian Genocide is today,” he remarked.

“Prime Minister Erdogan has once again show the world that it’s better to sweep things under the rug rather than face the consequences of the past, hence the social media blackout and continued implosion to the truth,” added Viza singer K’noup Tomopoulos.

Silence the Lies, Rock the Truth! is a social justice concert dedicated to raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide. For the past 5 years, socially conscious artists in the Los Angeles area have come together to work with the community through music, activism and commemoration. This year’s concert features headliner Viza, Armenian Public Radio, R-Mean, Wild Betsy, Sam Babayan (from the Dirty Diamond) and Maria Cozette, with music spun throughout the night by DJ HYE FX.

This year, proceeds from the concert will be donated to two needy organizational projects. The Armenian Youth Federation’s Youth Corps 6-week program provides a memorable and productive opportunity for youth to establish and strengthen ties with the homeland, consisting of 4 weeks of volunteer work and 2 weeks of touring. Beginning in 1994, volunteers first came to NKR to help rebuild war-torn villages after the cease-fire. In 2008, the AYF opened a summer camp in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, and continued to empower Diaspora Armenians with more direct roles in nation-building.

On April 23, filmmakers Nubar and Abby Alexanian will present their documentary "Scars Of Silence" at the Worcester Public Library. The screening will be part of a commemoration program observing the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, according to The Telegram.

The documentary focuses on how a father and daughter transcend a century of silence and denial to make peace with the tragic past of their family.

Nubar Alexanian, a native of Worcester now living in Gloucester, is an acclaimed and prolific photojournalist and filmmaker. Abby Alexanian has worked on many of her father's still photography and film projects. She is currently an advocate and program developer in a domestic violence shelter in Ann Arbor, Mich. Nubar and Abby Alexanian will introduce the film and take questions after the screening.

Pasadena will host a vigil in memory of the Genocide victims while the Armenian community of Los Angeles will organize a protest in front of the Turkish Consulate.

In Yerevan, the youth wing of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun will hold traditional torch procession that will start from Freedom Square.The participants will also urge Armenian President to recall signature from the protocols on normalization of relations with Turkey.